KCADC among top 10 eco devo groups in the country
Kansas City skyline. Photo by Eric L. Bowers via Downtown Council.
The Kansas City Area Development Council received some well-deserved recognition this week when Site Selection magazine announced the organization had been named one of the top 10 economic development groups in the country.
Kansas City “is competing for MVP status in economic development,” according to the magazine, which cited a number of statistics as factors that helped KCADC make the list. They include 80 facility deals that created 7,667 jobs and generated $1.96 billion in capital investment in 2011, which resulted in “the two-state Kansas City metro area” performing “at a rate normally associated with much larger cities,” according to Site Selection.
Bob Marcusse. Image via KCADC
Each year, the publication evaluates each metro and micro economy in the nation “based on jobs and capital investment generated by corporate facility projects. We factor into our rankings creativity of economic development strategy; depth and breadth of project activity; ability to generate breakthrough deals; and the ability to properly document the contributions of the economic development organization to actual project results,” according to Site Selection.
Bob Marcusse, CEO of KCADC, said 2011 “was one of our best years ever” in an interview with the magazine. “A big portion of that was Google’s decision to create its first high-speed data serve in Kansas City on both sides of the border. It is at least a half-billion dollar investment.”
Houlihan’s may be up for sale
Image via Houlihan's
Houlihan’s Restaurants Inc., based in Leawood, might just be considering a sale. The company isn’t sharing many details, but did note that it had enlisted the help of Piper Jaffray, a global middle market investment bank and asset management firm, to help explore possible options.
Houlihan’s currently operates a total of 101 restaurants, 55 of which are franchise locations and 46 of which are corporate. The restaurant has 6 locations in the Kansas City metro area.
CoStar report shows local Q1 office activity
Image via CoStar
CoStar recently released a report that examines office activity in the Kansas City metro during the first quarter of 2012.
According to the data compiled, no new space was completed; 132,594 square feet of office space is currently under construction.
The report also identified the largest projects that are currently underway, including 5200 W. 116th Place, a 102,183-square-foot building that’s 100 percent pre-leased; and 2105 Independence Boulevard, a 30,411-square-foot facility that is also 100 percent pre-leased.
Save the date: KC Crew annual Signature Golf Tournament
Image via BunkerShot.com
Summer is almost here, and that means golf tournament season is upon us! Save the date for KC CREW’s annual Signature Golf Tournament, to be held August 20 at Meadowbrook Golf & Country Club, 9101 Nall Avenue, Prairie Village.
The tournament kicks off at 9 a.m. and will be played in a four-player scramble format. Additional events include a longest drive contest, closest to the pin challenge and a $10,000 hole-in-one shootout. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the CREW Network Foundation, a charitable foundation and the philanthropic arm of the Network of Commercial Real Estate Women.
For details and to register, click here.